


i know you too well.

by sanctify (pains)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Is Not Okay, Casual Danger Dialogue, Codependency, Concussions, F/F, Francoise DuPont salt, Inappropriate Use of Miraculous, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is Not Okay, Other, adrien uses like two petnames but he means it platonically or teasingly choose your pick, i use the comma too much - the manifesto, is it lowkey when it's pretty obvious mari is into gami, mentions of implied planned murder, post-identity reveal, rated t for both characters' potty mouths, some lowkey marigami, speaking of said relationship, the main focus here is adrien and marinette's relationship though, they are in their late teens let them say fuck and shit, they're not in love but they love each other, this is very ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24998677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pains/pseuds/sanctify
Summary: if "i love you" was a promise, would you break it, if you're honest?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, implied Marigami - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 63





	i know you too well.

**Author's Note:**

> i have no idea what this is
> 
> have some 2k+ words of ooc characterization + relationship shenanigans

Ladybug comes to, feeling sun-kissed concrete on her back.

Her head is cradled in red-clad arms, “Ladybug, are you alright?” And she knows that voice.

She looks up to see Ryuuko, worried.

How… _How is Kagami here?_

Here happens to be the rooftop of an abandoned building set to be demolished. Ladybug eyes the yellow tape at the bottom, trying to focus her swimming vision. _Did Kagami bring her here?_

“Chat Noir surprised me, coming out of nowhere before my training started,” Ryuuko says, as if answering Ladybug’s silent query. “He told me to watch over you for him.”

“Where’s he now…?” She doesn’t like the way her voice comes out slurred. She sees the minute frown on Ryuuko’s lips before the other heroine answers, “He’s off battling the Akuma on his own. He mentioned driving it far away from your location.”

“Have to help…” she starts, trying to push herself up. Her head doesn’t agree with her, giving a jolt of pain. Her vision swims. She groans, places a hand against the offending body part.

Strong arms hold her steady. “Please stay here, Ladybug,” comes Ryuuko’s warm breath against the shell of her ear. “I’ll help him. I just wanted to see if you would be alright on your own.”

Ladybug hates to be useless, but as she is now, she’s not going to be much help against the Akuma. She’d have been more stubborn about helping, but she doesn’t want to waste any more of Kagami’s time.

Is that why Adrien sent for Kagami? She wouldn’t put it past him. Her partner has gotten more cunning since they revealed their identities to each other. He can read her like an open book now and she absolutely despises him for it.

“Okay,” she acquiesces. “Be careful.”

Ryuuko nods before running and then free-falling from the edge of the building. She hears the sound of a huge gust of wind, and then silence.

Ladybug touches the back of her ear, not feeling the skin, but knowing that it’s red from the blood that rushed to them when Kagami’s breath blew against them. She hates and loves the way her heart skips beats at the sensation.

Ladybug counts to ten before she pulls out her bandalore, contacting the only person connected to it.

He has no time to answer the video call, switching instead to voice. “Bonjour, Mademoiselle Maladroit. Awake yet?” Comes the voice of her partner, he sounds strained. _Serves him right._

“Seriously? Kagami?” She asks, trying and failing to hide how slurred her voice is.

“Had to pull out the big guns knowing you and your need to be so damned responsible all the time,” He grunts, and then she hears the familiar clang of metal and a guttural growl from the Akuma of the day. “Also, sounds like somebody’s concussed. Congrats, that’s like… the fourth time in two months. What the fuck, Bug.”

Ladybug groans, hiding her head into her bent knees. “Fuck off. It’ll go away when I cast the cure anyway.”

“Of course it’ll go away, dearest. But that doesn’t mean it still didn’t happen, y’know?” He yelps and then more metal clanging. She hears him swear under his breath and has a short moment of vindictive delight.

“You have no right to tell me off when you’re the more self-sacrificial between the two of us, Adrien,” she snaps when she’s sure he’s not in danger.

All he does is hum, the asshole.

“Anyway, is Kagami there yet?” She asks, changing the subject.

“Nope, not yet. We’re near Dupont right now and the building you’re on is like… all the way on the other side of Paris. My idea to bring you there, by the way. You should praise me.”

“Good kitty. You did well, oh sweet Mr. Purrcival, my dashing knight.” She’d laugh if she didn’t know that’d probably make her puke or something equally disgusting. Ugh, she hates this feeling.

He scoffs at that. But she knows he still preens at her praise. He can hear the gratitude behind her sarcastic words.

“I still don’t understand how you could get hit that hard. This thing’s ridiculously slow and ridiculously dull. Not one of Papillon’s better Akumas, really.”

“Don’t say that, you meanie. It’s trying its best. Plus, it knocked me out of the way, as you’ve so kindly reminded me. It has to count for something.”

“Yeah because you were _distracted_ ,” He huffs, displeasure coating his words. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you didn’t bring your A-game this fight. Also, ‘you meanie’? What are you, six? Did Manon teach you all these insults?”

“Bite me, I am literally running on three hours of sleep.”

“I really don’t wanna know but, how many hours have you been awake?”

“Fifty…”

“Jesus Christ, Mari,” he swears under his breath. “Does Tikki not tell you to go to bed? Doesn’t Wayzz?”

“They do. Bold of you to assume that—”

“You’d listen. True. Should’ve known it was something like that.” She hears him land a few more hits, to the Akuma’s ire. “Alright, so. After this is all over I’m knocking you out cold.”

“As if I’d let you.”

“Hmm, true. Maybe I’ll kindly ask Kagami to—”

“Agreste, shut the hell up.”

“I bet she’d be more than happy to spend time with you.” He chuckles under his breath. “That is, if you can keep your hands to yourself…”

“I am going to smother you in your sleep one day.”

“If it grants me eternal freedom from my Father’s clutches, then I will welcome death with open arms.”

“And leave me all alone, partner-less, best friend-less, and hopeless?”

“Eh. You’ll live.”

“I actually despise you,” she huffs. And then she groans when even that motion jostles her poor, injured head.

“Buginette?” He’s worried, asking a question with just that one word.

“Six.”

“Shit.” She hears him call for Cataclysm on the other side.

“I’m still holding on,” she reassures him. Or tries to, did those words make any sense. Oh, God.

“Yeah, I’m not taking any chance—Ryuuko!”

Despite how very wrong she feels right now, Ladybug’s heart still manages to skip a beat at the mention of Kagami’s alter-ego’s name.

“Alright, Bugs. I’m gonna let you go now. Please, don’t pass out. Or I will literally reveal your identity to your parents and then make them sign a blood oath to keep our secrets safe.” Then he ends the call with a curt, “See you later.”

She wants to scoff at such a thinly-veiled threat. But Adrien has changed after all the years, she knows that his threat holds some weight to it. This is the boy who orchestrated Lila’s downfall all on his own while keeping that sweet, summer child smile ever-present on his face. This is the boy who, after all the lies and deception were revealed, had M. Damocles and Mme. Bustier blacklisted from all other educational institutions for allowing such actions to happen in their class, in their school. This is the boy who, after all was said and done, took her hand and told her they were leaving Francoise Dupont and their so-called friends, that his Father was paying for them both to be enrolled into the best private school that Paris had to offer.

She knows what he’s capable of doing if he knew it was for the greater good. (Greater good for them both, that is. He is rather jealous of the attention she gives others, not wanting a repeat of that disastrous year. If she was younger, she’d think this was a sign of true love. She’s older now and knows that what they have going on between them is the ugly weight of _co-dependency._ )

She sits, waiting. Because that’s all she can do.

She doesn’t like being left alone with her thoughts. She knows that she’s just the same as Adrien is. Her mind could end up swallowing her whole into its murky depths, letting her see just how horrid her own thoughts are. How she absolutely cannot survive day-to-day life without Adrien by her side.

She is not okay. He is not okay. But together, they can ignore that and just be.

She knows that they’ll have to get help in the future. He’s researched enough professionals that they have a list now. They have a list and they’re going to be crossing out people the moment Papillon is either arrested _or…_

(She doesn’t mention the _or_ , doesn’t want to think about the possibilities of the _or_ happening just yet. But Adrien is pragmatic, Plagg is cynical, Tikki is Tikki, all-knowing and she _agrees_. Marinette desperately hopes _or_ never has to happen.)

“You are thinking way too much.”

If Chat Noir was anyone else, Ladybug would’ve tied them up with her bandalore for sneaking up on her. But, she knows her partner, knows when he comes into and goes from her proximity almost intrinsically.

Chat Noir and Ryuuko are beside her now. The Akumatized object, a diamond, rests in Chat Noir’s hands, his ring still in its full pads. He must’ve had to detransform. She doesn’t know. How long has she been stuck on this rooftop? God, she isn’t even aware of the passage of time.

“I can’t break it.” He says dumbly. 

Ah. Of course. (He technically can break the diamond, but that would require Cataclysming it and she knows Adrien won’t leave her side now that he’s there.)

She brings her bandalore out and calls for her Lucky Charm.

True enough, what appears in her hands is a diamond cutter.

Chat Noir takes the Lucky Charm and deftly makes do with the diamond.

The Akuma flies out and, with Ryuuko’s aid (one hand on her elbow, the other on the small of her back), Ladybug captures the Akuma.

With her calling out for the magical ladybugs, she can feel the very wrong feeling in her head fade into nothing. But in its place is the fatigue that she’s been trying so well to ignore. She (shamelessly) leans against Ryuuko, who gracefully holds Ladybug in her arms, sitting on the floor to cradle the spotted heroine better. “Ladybug?” She asks, worried.

“She’s just tired, Ryuuko. She’ll be back in top form in a few minutes,” Chat Noir answers, stretching his arms and working out a few kinks.

“I see, but…” Here she pauses. Ladybug knows what she’s thinking, knows that Chat Noir knows what she’s thinking.

Paris’ superhero duo haven’t called for any outside help since Marinette and Adrien left Francoise Dupont. Ryuuko is the first—and probably only—hero that’s been called into the line of duty after Ladybug and Chat Noir’s return from their sudden one-month hiatus. (No Akumas, no patrols, no Ladyblog updates. It’s as if they’d disappeared into thin air.)

They’d come back lethal.

(No, it wasn’t that they’d hurt the Akumatized victims. It’s that they’d began to end fights before any lasting damage could happen. They’d ended fights before a crowd could appear, before any reporters could catch them after saving the city once again.)

“Ladybug is only human. She has her real-life problems to deal with, too,” Chat Noir says, arms behind his head as he lies down on the hot concrete. “You’re the first person that came to mind when I decided to get help because Bugs here didn’t have her head in the game.”

“I understand,” Ryuuko says, her fingers had begun to comb through Ladybug’s hair, as if subconsciously answering to Ladybug’s wishes. The warning beeps of Ladybug’s earrings are the only sound to be heard.

When she’s down to three dots, Ryuuko detransforms back into Kagami. She hands the Miraculous to Ladybug, who, instead of keeping it in her person, feeds Longg and transforms with him. Dragonbug divides Tikki, and all that’s left is a Ladybug (a Marinette) with the Dragon Miraculous.

“You know, I’m pretty sure there’s a rule against using the Miraculous like that,” Chat Noir says from his spot on the ground, eyes closed.

“I’m the Guardian, who cares about the rules,” Dragon-Ladybug says, resting her legs on Chat Noir’s stomach.

“The you from two years ago would have a conniption if she heard you say that.”

“Past me doesn’t know what it’s like to chug down five cans of Monster because of coursework.”

Chat Noir sits up at that, dislodging her legs from their resting spot. (“Rude,” she pouts.) “That’s right. You’ve gotta go back home and rest. I did say I was gonna knock you out after this whole mess.”

“I don’t wanna,” she groans, adjusting her position on Kagami’s lap, getting quite comfortable. (“How shameless, how forward of you,” she can already imagine Adrien laughing.)

“Dragon-Ladybuginette, you have to let Kagami go. She still has more obligations to deal with.”

Dragon-Ladybug looks up at Kagami, who is staring down at her, “Do you really have to go?” She asks.

“Unfortunately, yes I must. My mother will be very cross with me if I am not where she expects me to be.”

“Can’t be helped,” she groans, sitting up. “Can we take you back at least? As thanks for helping out.”

“If it’s not too much. I don’t know where we are from down on the ground.” Kagami graciously accepts her offer.

Carrying another person in her arms is not a new sensation to Dragon-Ladybug, but she takes delight in how close Kagami is. She smells exquisite: a mixture of lavender, sweat, and her very own scent. Dragon-Ladybug might be addicted.

Chat Noir clears his throat, raising an eyebrow at Dragon-Ladybug’s very obvious display. Kagami doesn’t seem to have noticed. Dragon-Ladybug glares at Chat Noir who rolls his eyes in return.

“Let’s go before Kagami’s robot chauffeur notices she’s not where she’s supposed to be, or before she gets eaten.”

“Eaten?” Kagami asks from Dragon-Ladybug’s arms.

“Ignore him, he’s just being his usual idiotic self,” Dragon-Ladybug answers.

“Yeah, yeah. Mad ramblings from the Cheshire Cat.”

Chat Noir leads the way back to Francoise Dupont, and sure enough, the familiar red of Kagami’s mother’s car is waiting.

Dragon-Ladybug and Chat Noir watch as Kagami boards the car, ignoring the stares from the students that they know they’ve garnered. Once the car leaves school grounds, so do the heroes.

“Well, time to take you home,” Chat Noir says, looking expectantly at Dragon-Ladybug, who rolls her eyes but detransforms.

Marinette lets Chat Noir carry her back onto her balcony. The skylight (The Chat-flap) is always unlocked now. If she had still been infatuated with Adrien, she would have swooned at how gently he laid her on her bed. But now, she’s just tired and about ready to pass out.

“I’m going to get some snacks and drinks downstairs. Anything you want?” He asks, opening her trapdoor.

“I would like a quick and painless death.”

“So, chamomile tea and some cookies. Got it.” He disappears downstairs, and she hears his “Salut, Sabine! Salut, Tom!”

She closes her eyes and lets the darkness take her.

Only to be woken what feels like seconds later by a clawed hand gently shaking her shoulder.

“Go away, ‘m tryna sleep,” she mumbles, turning to press her face into her cat pillow.

“Yes, that’s admirable of you, sweetheart, but you need to eat. Your mother said you haven’t had a proper meal in days, you lunatic.”

“Ugh,” she groans emphatically into her pillow. “Fine.”

She sits up, yes, but that’s all she does. Chat Noir hand-feeds her the cookies and the croissant, he presses the warm mug of tea to her lips. She consumes, bites, and drinks silently, ever-trusting.

He wipes away any crumbs or dampness from her lips after.

He whispers his detransformation, and Adrien replaces Chat Noir.

Plagg silently flies towards the plate of cheese danishes and cinnamon cookies that she hadn’t noticed was on her table earlier, too focused on the single-minded task of opening her mouth and consuming whatever it was Adrien fed her.

“Better?” Adrien asks.

“Mn,” she answers, leaning forward to rest her head on his shoulder.

Adrien wraps an arm around her back, the other resting on her hip, and gently lays them both down onto the bed, on their sides, facing each other.

“Get some sleep, Milady,” Adrien whispers, the hand on her hip gently caressing up and down, almost hypnotically.

“… this is your idea of knocking… out. I’m… end your life,” she mutters sleepily.

“Oh, I’m terrified,” she hears him say before the abyss claims her once more. This time peacefully, this time with the promise of good rest.


End file.
